Classic Beef Lasagne

Name: Classic Beef Lasagne
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: Baking
Ingredients: 12 sheets lasagne sheets; 1 lb (500 g) minced beef; 3 cups (700 g) passata or crushed tomatoes; 1 onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter; ¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour; 3 cups milk; 1½ cups (150 g) shredded mozzarella; ½ cup (45 g) grated parmesan; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp dried oregano; to taste salt and pepper

Layers of rich ragu, creamy white sauce and pasta.

Prep Time40 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr 25 mins

YieldServes 8

Before You Start

A proper homemade lasagne is a weekend kind of dinner, and worth every layer. Keep the ragu a little loose so the pasta soaks it up, and rest the whole thing before cutting so the slices hold together instead of sliding apart.

Instructions

1
Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion until soft. Add the garlic, then the beef, and brown it well.
2
Stir in the passata, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes until thick. That is your ragu.
3
Meanwhile make the white sauce: melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for a minute, then whisk in the milk a splash at a time until smooth and thickened. Season.
4
Heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Spread a little ragu in a baking dish, then layer pasta, ragu, white sauce and a little mozzarella. Repeat, finishing with white sauce.
5
Scatter the rest of the mozzarella and the parmesan on top.
6
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Rest for 10 minutes before cutting so the layers hold.

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💡 Baker's tips

Rest the lasagne 10 minutes before slicing. Straight from the oven it slides apart.
Keep the ragu loose, not dry. The pasta drinks up moisture as it bakes.

🔀 Make it your own

Add a layer of sauteed mushrooms or spinach.
Use half beef, half pork mince for a richer ragu.

📦 Storing & freezing

Keeps 3 days in the fridge, freezes 3 months. Reheat covered until piping hot.

❓ Frequently asked

Do I need to precook lasagne sheets?

Use no-precook sheets and keep the sauce a little loose, and they soften as they bake. If using traditional sheets, boil them first.

Why is my lasagne watery?

Usually a too-wet ragu or not enough resting. Simmer the sauce until thick, and rest the baked lasagne 10 minutes.

Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.

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